Horizontal Garden Sundial

Technical characteristics

Date

1542

Type

English horizontal dial

Maker

Attributed to Nicholas Oursian

Material

Brass

Mounting

Four rectangular holes in octagonal plate

Provenance

Found in Chester, formerly wall-mounted in Wiltshire

Inscription

VIVE LE ROY H 8

Place recorded

England

Maker / attribution

Nicholas Oursian

Design

Visible features

• Octagonal brass plate with four mounting holes • Hour scale marked with Roman numerals IIII to VIII • Engraved crowned Tudor rose and foliate motifs • Central circular reserve bearing 'N O' and '1542'

Construction and Design

The sundial consists of an octagonal brass plate measuring 224 mm at its maximum diameter. The plate is pierced with four rectangular holes positioned for fixing the device onto a garden pedestal. The upper surface of the dial is finished with engraved foliate decoration surrounding the main components. The hour ring is inscribed with Roman numerals ranging from IIII to VIII, incorporating the XII at the top. The central circular area contains the primary signature and dating in a roundel. A significant portion of the dial's decorative space is occupied by a crowned Tudor rose positioned between the letters H and R. Beneath this, the dial features the French inscription 'VIVE LE ROY H 8' executed in capital letters with star-shaped separators.

Signature and Attribution

The object is signed with the initials 'N O', which are placed alongside the date '1542'. The museum attributes this signature to Nicholas Oursian, a French Huguenot clockmaker. Records indicate he provided services to the English royal court, specifically during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I. The attribution remains a historical assessment based on these initials and the dial's role as the earliest known dated English example of its type. The integration of royal iconography—specifically the Tudor rose and the monarch's initials—aligns with the period of Henry VIII's reign, supporting the 1542 date.

Provenance and Modifications

The sundial's history includes documented locations in both Chester and Wiltshire. Before its eventual acquisition by the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford, the dial was mounted on the exterior wall of a private house in Wiltshire. The gnomon is explicitly identified as a modern replacement. This modification is significant as it suggests the original gnomon was lost or damaged before the object's rediscovery in the late 19th century. The current replacement is calculated for a latitude of 54 1/2 degrees, which is the only remaining indication of its functional intent in its post-1890 configuration.

Identification

Source note

Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.